Custom Trucks, Real Stories: Tribute, Legacy, and Passion

STREET TRUCKS STAFF . September 03, 2025 . Department .

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What’s your Story?

Street Trucks Magazine is all about the custom truck industry. We strive to showcase some of the hottest and most innovative builds as well as offering education and technical step-by-step information to show what you can do to your own truck. But the scene, and Street Trucks, is also about the people behind the builds and the stories they have to tell.

In this issue we have a great mix of late-model and classic trucks. The styles vary from cruisers to performance drivers, lifted trucks and more. Several of these trucks have a great story behind their build. Let’s start with the pair of Central California C-10s gracing our cover this month. The ’80 C-10 is a story of remembrance and tribute, while the silver ’68 is the classic ugly duckling saga, a farm truck turned showstopper.

The Jones family owns the ’80 square body C-10. Travis and Casey wanted to recreate a modern, more custom version of their late father’s first new truck. The paint scheme is the same and the year is too. “Boss Man” emblems throughout the interior tell the story of the father they hold dear in their hearts. Richard Matoian’s C-10 served his family faithfully for more than 30 years at their vineyard and as a workhorse towing farm equipment and seed around their pistachio fields. But time was taking its toll; the brakes and engine were beginning to fail. Rather than junk the truck, Richard decided to turn it into a full show truck complete with LS engine.

One of coolest stories we’ve come across is that of Owen’s ’56 Ford F-100. Owen has visited the U.S. several times in recent years to work on building his right-hand-drive classic with the goal of shipping the truck to his native Ireland and cruising it around the country—and even on to Europe! That’s true dedication: deciding what he wanted and doing whatever it took to make it happen. Now he is enjoying the fruits of his labor, and the unique build brings attention to those around the world who are customizing in their own backyards. These trucks might not be what’s most popular in their region or country, but it’s what they love, and they’re building them for their own satisfaction.

Tell us your story! Visit our Facebook page and share some photos and history of your truck. Tell us why you built it the way you did and how you are enjoying the fruits of your labor. ST

Jmulligan@beckett.com

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